Fuse block and lightning arrester



June 4, 1929. H. A.- TAYLOR FUSE BLOCK AND LIGHTNING ARRESTER Filed April. V13, 1928 INVENTQR BY o ATTORNEY maggy-@KWM Patented June 4, 1929.

UNITED STATES- MTENTA OFFICE.

Application filed April 13, 1928. Serial No. 269,800.

This invention relates to electrical safety devices and has for its object the provision of a fuse block and lightning arrester in which the construction is such that in the event of blowing of a fuse a new one will be automatically brought into place across the line terminals.

An important object is the provision of a device of this character embodying ar movable plural fuse carrier so arranged that when a fuse blows out the carrier will drop down and bring another into place, automatically reclosing the temporarily interrupted circuit, an advantage being that in case of lightning or unusual heavy charges from any cause protection will be aiiorded to the circuits which may be fed from the line, and damage thereby avoided."

`An additional object is the provision of a device of this character which will be comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install and set, positivein action, eiiicient and durable in service, and a general improvement'in the art.

lVith the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention may consist in the details of construction and the arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a front elevation of my device, the'lowermost fuse thereon being shown as blown out,

Figure'2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is an elevation of the ground terminal carrying block,

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the structure shown in Figure 4,-

Figure G is a detail perspective view of one of the movable arm carrying blocks,

. Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of the block for carrying the ground terminal,

Figure 8 is a detail perspective view of one.

of the fuse holding arms.

Referring more particularly to the drawing the numeral 10 designates a support which j might be a wall, slab, panel or the like, of any desired size and material. Secured upon this support in vertically spaced relation are upper and lower brackets 11 to which are secured Secured upon the support 10 intermediate the brackets l1 is a block 13 of suitable insulating material formed in its front face with a recess 14 within which is mounted a metallic block 15, held in place as for instance b means of a screw 16 and provided with a stem 17 projecting below the lower end of the block and carrying binding means 18 tor connection of a ground wire 19 therewith. Disposed against the face of the' metallic block is a mica plate 20 which projects beyond the forward surface of the block 13 and which may be held in place upon the block 15 by Vmeans or' lugs 2l projecting from the front face of the latter and engaging through holes 22 in the former. This plate is perforated at 22a. v l

Projecting from the front face of the block 13 are horizontal contact stops 23 and 24 held in place as for instance by means of suitable bolts `25 secured in the block 13. These members are adapted to be interposed in one of the line wires 26' and are necessarily of metal so as to serve not only as stops but also as contacts.

The numeral 27 designates a slidable carriage formed as a block ot' suitable insulatingr material and provided with channels 2S slidably receiving or engaging upon the guides 12. This carriage is normally urged downwardly by a coil spring 29 having one end seated within a recess 30 in the carriage and having its other end engaged upon a lug 31 or the like depending from the upper bracket ll.

The rearside of the carriage block 27 is formed with a; plurality of recesses 32 within which are seated metallic blocks 33 arranged in vertical alinement in such position that they will successively engage against the mica plate 22 of the ground terminal structure when the carriage moves downwardly. On the front surface of the carriage block 27 are L-shaped arms 34 carried by or held in place by'bolts'or screws 35 which constitute their pivots and which are threaded into the respective metallic blocks 33 so that the arms will be in electrical connection with these blocks.

Located on the front surface of the carriage block at the opposite side thereof are similar L-shaped arms 3G which also act as contacts and which are pivoted by bolts or screws 37 spaced parallel vertically extending guides 12. corresponding to those indicated at 35. The

rtively.

short or vertical arms of the horizontally opposite L-shaped arms 34 and 36 are adapted to have connected therewith the end portions of fuse wires 38 which are normally taut and which will, under` ordinary circumstances, op-` i lowermost L-shaped members-34 and 36'engaging upon ,the contacts 23 and 24 respec- The lowermost fuse wire 38 is thus held taut and the circuit through the line is complete. Owing to the engagement of the lowermost block 33 with the perforated mica plate ofthe ground terminal structure, it

will be seen that in case of lightning or an un-` usually :heavy discharge of any kind which w0uld"t a`x the carrying capacity of the line and any lapparatusfed therefrom, the lowermost tfuse 38 will be blown as indicated in Figure l, while at the same time the charge will jump through the perforations 22L and' be grounded. Then-this fuse wire breaks the tension of the springv 29 will force the carriage block 27 downwardly until the horizonz'tal arms of the next vsuccessive pair of L- shaped members engage the contacts 23 and 24; and consequently reclose the circuit, a fresh and `clean block 33then engaging the mica plate. This action is automatic and will be continued every time there is an electric discharge until all the fuse wires 38-have been destroyed subsequent to which a new set of fuses must necessarily be installedto restore the device to its initial condition. i

-From the foregoing description and a study ofthe drawing it will be apparent that I have thus provided avery simple device for the purpose specified which'will be a great saver of annoyance and time inasmuch as it will olaviatethenecessity for frequent manual replacement of blown fuses. Furthermore the device will be a great safeguard in preventing injury to electric machinery and apparatus in caeeof'static' discharges and the like.

v V'hile I have shown and described a pre- .Y Aferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that I reserve the right to make suchfchanges in the form, construction and arrangement o f parts as willnot depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the Y subjoined claims.

Y Having thus described the invention, I

. l. In a device of the character described, a relatively stationary member of insulating material carrying agrounded-contact, a perforated insulating platecovering said contact, a movable carriage of insulating material carrying a -series of spaced contacts adapted to successively engage said insulating plate, means `urging said carriage in one direction, contact means carried by the relav tively stationary member, a plurality of pairs of pivoted arms Qn the-carirage successively engageable with "said third named contact means, and fuse Wires connecting and normally held taut by .said pivoted arms.

2. In a device of the character described, a .Y relatively stationary member of insulatingmaterial carrying a grounded contact,:a perforated insulating plate covering said contact, a movable carriage of insulating material carrying a series of spaced contacts adapted to successively engage said insulating plate, means urging said carriage in one direction, Contact members carried'by the relatively stationary member and interposed in one wire of the line, a plurality of pairs of pivoted arms on the carriage successively engageable with said contact members,"and fuse wires connecting and normally held taut by said pivoted arms, ,said arms being of angular formation and including outwardly extending portions adapted to engage the contact members whereby upon blowing of a fuse wire the next successive arms will come into place and interpose the next successive spaced contacts between the line and the ground.

3. In a device of the character described, a relatively stationary member of insulating material carrying a grounded contact, a perforated insulating plate covering said contact, a' movable carriage of insulating material carrying a series of spaced contacts adapted to .successively engage said insulating plate, means urging said carriage in one direction, contact members carried by the rel,- atively stationary member, a plurality of pairs of pivoted arms on the carriage successively engageable with said third named contacts, fuse wires connecting and normally held taut by said pivoted arms, 'upper and lower supporting brackets aloove4 and below said relatively stationary member, and spaced guides carried by the brackets and slidably engaged by the carriage, said insulating plate permitting static discharges to bev grounded.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

'HERBERT A. TAYLOR. 

